India Accuses China of Illegal Occupation of Disputed Territories

The Ministry of External Affairs of India accused China of violating Indian sovereignty through the illegal occupation of territories in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh since 1963. Following a meeting in Manila between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit, Indian spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India objects to Chinese infrastructure projects being developed on these territories, noting that China's own official position acknowledges India's rights over these areas.

During the talks, S. Jaishankar emphasized that peace and tranquility in border areas are a "pre-requisite" for normal ties and addressed bilateral trade imbalances and fair market access. He welcomed specific normalization steps, including the resumption of direct flights, updated visa arrangements, and the restart of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and border trade.

Conversely, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China released a readout claiming that India respects China's sovereignty. Wang Yi characterized the two nations as partners rather than competitors and stated that relations are on the "right track of improvement and development" following meetings between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India rejected these suggestions, asserting that it does not violate China's sovereignty in any manner.